Jorge Santiago. Photo Credit: Daisy Rosas/Strikeforce

By FCF Staff

Former UFC middleweight star Jorge Santiago (23-10) will battle Leonardo Pecanha (14-7) in the main event of  Titan Fighting Championship at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on March 2.

“I can’t wait to fight for Titan on March 2 and to show everybody that ‘The Sandman’ is back and more dangerous than ever before,” said Santiago, whose return to action will be his first appearance since being released from the UFC in October.  “I train with the best coaches and some of the best fighters in the world. I’ve never felt better or more ready, and at Titan Fighting 21, I’m going to make a fight nobody will forget – especially Leonardo Pecanha.

Santiago is a former Sengoku middleweight champion and the winner of the first-ever sanctioned MMA tournament in California history that took place at Strikeforce on Nov. 16, 2007.  He was released from his contractual obligations with UFC after losing to Demian Maia and Brian Stann.

In his sole fight in 2011, Pecanha submitted Matias Ezequiel Lemon with an armbar in the first round of their meeting.  Pecanha posted a 3-1 record in 2010.

The Titan Fighting Championship main card, as follows, will air live on HDNet:

Jorge Santiago vs. Leonardo Pecanha

Andrew Carrillo vs. Joe Wilk

Joe Ellenberger vs. Jesse Zeugin

Anthony Gutierrez vs. Brandon Pfannenstiel

Kevin Croom vs. Ramiro “Junior” Hernandez

Mirsad Bektic vs. Cody Carrillo